Black Fungus Symptoms, Cause, Treatment?

 Black Fungus Infections in India 

Black fungus, is a rare but serious disease that requires treatment or surgery.

SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 treatment expose the immune system to other diseases, including black fungus.

With the increase in cases of black fungi, India is facing a shortage of drugs in the face of two epidemics.

India has been facing high levels of COVID-19, with more than 27 million cases confirmed since January 2020. Also, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently announced that B.1.617 variant of SARS-CoV-2 virus in India is “different from global concern. . ”

Some scientists believe that severe COVID-19 may reduce the body's immune system. This can lead to an increased risk of other diseases, especially for people who are incurable.

Of particular concern is the infection called mucormycosis, which is often referred to as black fungus.

 In India, 90 people who have recovered from COVID-19 have died of mucormycosis, and there are calls from Indian health authorities to announce the black fungus epidemic.

What is black fungus?

Black Fungus is a rare form of fungal infection that occurs when exposed to a fungus called mucormycetes. These fungi often occur in the environment, especially in the leaves, soil, manure, and animal droppings. Mucormycetes can enter the body through breathing, smell, and exposure to wounds on the skin.

There are various types of source of mucormycosisTrusted, including rhinocerebral (sinus and brain), pulmonary (lung), intestines, and cutaneous (skin) mucormycosis.

Symptoms of Black Fungus!

There are different types of Black Fungus symptoms according to body parts like Skin related, Respiratory related. 

Respiratory-related symptoms include:

• Cough
• Cever
• Head
• Chest pain
• Nasal congestion or pain and soreness
• Shortness of breath

Skin-related symptoms, which can occur and spread to any part of the body, include:

• Dark skin tissues
• Redness, swelling, tenderness
• Bubbles
• Ulcers

Mucormycosis is not contagious, and most people who come in contact with the fungus are not infected. However, people with very weakened immune systems are at greater risk of mucormycosis. This includes four people:

• Diabetes 
• Cancer
• HIV
• Skin damage
• Surgery

Doctors can treat the infection by prescribing antibiotics or performing surgery to remove the affected area. Left untreated, mucormycosis can kill, with a mortality rate of 54%, according to a reliable source for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Cause of Black Fungus!

• The Department of Health has confirmed that infection is found among people who have recovered or have recovered from COVID-19.

• People receiving oxygen treatment at the ICU, where a humidifier is used, are at greater risk for exposure to moisture.

• Therefore, it is recommended to use sterile water for oxygen treatment.

• A weakened immune system, overdose of steroids, voriconazole treatment and uncontrolled diabetes also put people at risk for black fungus infection.

Treatment of Black Fungus!

It is difficult to determine the best way to deal with both epidemics. Coleman raises some questions that experts need to address further:

"Can people be treated with antifungal at the same time?" and “Is there a way to reduce the dose of COVID-19 and still be effective when you do not suppress enough antibodies to allow the fungus to enter?”

The combined risks of COVID-19 and mucormycosis raise challenging issues and require careful integration of patient care and treatment.

Why COVID-19 is Link with Black Fungus?

The high rate of cases of mucormycosis in India is due to a combination of factors. For example, more than 30 million people in India are diagnosed with diabetes. Despite this, the number of cases of mucormycosis prior to the COVID-19 epidemic is low, although the prevalence has risen to a reliable Source.
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, however, there has been a significant increase. Drs. Arvinder Singh Soin, a pioneer surgeon in Delhi, notes that he has “seen an increase in black mold in the past week than usual in two years.”

COVID-19 leads to a reduction in the immune system, which prevents the body from effectively protecting itself from infection. As a result, people recovering from COVID-19 are at risk of mucormycosis.

Christopher Coleman, an assistant professor of infection immunology at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, told Medical News Today:

“A virus, as part of its reproductive cycle, suppresses the immune system, so the immune system is unable to clear away any bacteria or fungi. The most famous example of this is HIV, of course, which causes long-term stress. However, some viruses do this at a very short rate - that is, the immune system is slowly suppressed for a few days or a few weeks where the virus is present. ”

The steroid treatment of COVID-19 may also be effective in suppressing the immune response, contributing to this increase in levels of mucormycosis infection.

"In this case," explains Coleman, "there seems to be a suggestion that steroids may play a role - by suppressing normal immune responses and allowing fungi to invade."

In addition, oxygen support for people with severe COVID-19 can cause nasal congestion and increase the risk of infection.
On May 19, the state of Rajasthan declared a mucormycosis epidemic. In the city of Surat, eight of the 40 COVID-19 survivors who contracted eye mucormycosis lost their sight.

The state of Maharashtra reported more than 2,000 cases of mucormycosis, with eight deaths. The state health minister, Rajesh Tope, has announced that they will be building special wards and will launch an awareness campaign on the spread of the disease.

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